Buddhist monks and nuns call the practice of no speaking "noble silence". It is used as a way to quiet and condition the mind to be mindful of the words that are spoken. Silence is also used to make a stand against or for something.
Why do monks take a vow of silence? In the Buddhist tradition, a monk's vow of silence is a way to practice proper speech. Monks feel that they would avoid saying something negative by avoiding revealing anything that comes to mind. For them, speaking with silence is a way to practice nonviolence.
Spoken conversations between monks are permitted, but limited according to the norms established by the community and approved by the Order. "Silence is the mystery of the world to come. Speech is the organ of this present world.
A vow of silence is a vow to maintain silence. Although it is commonly associated with monasticism, no major monastic order takes a vow of silence. Even the most fervently silent orders such as the Carthusians have time in their schedule for talking.
Benefits of a vow of silence
Swami says going silent allows people to disconnect to reconnect. “It's like a detox… for the brain, body, and mind,” he says. “Taking a vow of silence, whether it's 1 day, 3 days… 40 days… quiets your mind down.”
Some people find their quiet at a Vipassana meditation retreat: 10 days of no talking, no writing, no reading and certainly no social media. The aim is to meditate in silence for several hours a day. Buddhist monks and nuns call the practice of no speaking "noble silence".
Monks cannot marry if they are indeed ordained monks. They cannot speak lewd words or touch women with or without desire. There should also be no marriage ceremonies performed by monks. It is important for lay people to know some of the major rules and question when these rules are broken.
They averaged approximately five hours sleep between evening prayers and the 2am church service, and then snatched another half an hour before being up at 4am for more prayer. They were allowed to rest again after their midday meal but many spent that time in private reflection and reading.
Monks, for example, are not allowed to get married nor have children. They leave their family forever and get a new family in the monastery.
Monastic Tibetan Buddhists showed significantly greater fear of death than any other group. The monastics were also less generous than any other group about the prospect of giving up a slightly longer life in order to extend the life of another.
Monks are forbidden to divine either good fortune or future tragedy by observing heavenly omens, thereby deceiving both the tennō and the people. They are also forbidden to possess and study military tracts; to commit murder, rape, robbery or other crimes; and to feign enlightenment.
Do not touch people you meet and shaking hands is considered bad manners. Also, do not touch monks ever.
For hundreds of years, Trappist monks and nuns have been known for living a very silent life. Consequently, people commonly know Trappists as “the monks who don't talk.” They know we take vows and so naturally suppose we take a vow of silence.
To this day, Buddhist monks and nuns in almost every traditional Buddhist country are still expected to adhere to a monastic lifestyle and are enjoined from getting married and starting families.
A monk may be a person who decides to dedicate their life to serving other people and serving God, or to be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live their life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many religions and in philosophy.
Sleeping on the floor is actually the ninth precept of Buddhism. The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. With the ninth precept, Buddhists refrain from lying in a high or luxurious sleeping place.
Data suggests that ordained monks, priests, and other people of faith tend to live longer than laypersons. That said, it's hard to draw conclusions about what causes these people to live longer.
Is there an age limit for entering the monastery? You must be a single Catholic man between the ages of 21 and an upper limit of 40-45 years of age.
Just as a married couple does not take a vacation from marital life, neither does a monk from monastic life. Every monk, once he has made at least temporary profession, has two weeks per year that he can spend away from the monastery, visiting friends and relatives.
Buddhists do it by taking a shower. This ritual is always at 5 or 5.30 p.m. — a few hours before going to bed so that they can spend the rest of the evening relaxed and fall asleep easily. The only catch is to surrender. As you are underneath the shower, feel the water on your body.
Being more specific, the feeding to these Buddhist monks is not accompanied and motivated by a desire to savour and obtain a gastronomic pleasure, but rather by a vital necessity of our body in search of a balanced life. For this reason, monks do not cook their own meals and do not choose what they eat.
The typical day of a Buddhist monk, whether young or adult, follows a fixed schedule: wake-up call at 4:30 am (including Saturdays and Sundays); one-hour gathering in the temple to recite mantras; personal hygiene in one of the several fountains scattered around the monastery (there are no showers but they wash ...
Because they are viewed as temporary, getting tattoos doesn't violate any Buddhist doctrines or beliefs. Some Buddhists say that tattoos are an unhealthy attachment to the body. However, even monks can have tattoos and some sects actually encourage them as a way to remember Buddhist teachings.
Buddhist monks condemn alcohol and its consumption. The Quran, the holy text of Islam, prohibits it. Hinduism does not use alcohol in religious contexts but social drinking varies from person to person. But the Catholic faith is inherently linked to the consumption and creation of alcohol.
The ideal is for the desire itself to drop away, and celibacy—in this case, refraining from any form of sexual gratification—is understood to be a prerequisite for that. In Theravada Buddhism monks are not permitted to so much as shake hands with a woman; nor may a nun touch a man.